Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
The Survey Assignment
Graeme is introduced as a shy young man hired by an advertising agency. His assignment is to investigate sex in Australia.
Key Events
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Documentary Premise — The film establishes a documentary blending fact and fiction. Characters: Graeme
Location: Australia
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Shy Protagonist Introduced — Graeme is presented as a shy young man. Characters: Graeme
Location: Australia
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Agency Offers Assignment — An advertising agency hires Graeme to conduct a sex survey. Characters: Graeme
Location: Advertising agency
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Survey Begins — Graeme begins investigating sexual experiences in Australia. Characters: Graeme
Location: Australia
Unscripted Encounters
The survey develops through unrehearsed and unscripted interviews. The film begins blending documentary observation with fictionalizing techniques.
Key Events
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Survey Begins — Graeme begins investigating sexual experiences in Australia. Characters: Graeme
Location: Australia
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Unscripted Method — The interviews are presented as unrehearsed and unscripted. Characters: Graeme
Location: Interview settings
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Reality Becomes Performance — The film fictionalizes real interview material. Characters: Graeme
Location: Interview settings
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Edna Interview — Edna Everage appears among the people interviewed by Graeme. Characters: Graeme, Edna Everage
Location: Interview setting
Beyond Conventional Experience
Graeme encounters a range of sexual experiences, including an interview with Edna Everage. The investigation deliberately excludes the normal heterosexual experience.
Key Events
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Edna Interview — Edna Everage appears among the people interviewed by Graeme. Characters: Graeme, Edna Everage
Location: Interview setting
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Varied Experiences — Graeme's investigation covers a variety of sexual experiences. Characters: Graeme
Location: Interview settings
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Expected Norm Excluded — The investigation excludes the normal heterosexual experience. Characters: Graeme
Location: Australia
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Documentary Form Expands — The film continues combining factual encounters with fictionalizing techniques. Characters: Graeme
Location: Interview settings
Fact And Fiction
The film continues using interviews to create a hybrid portrait of Australian sexual experience. Its conclusion remains shaped by the tension between recorded reality and fictional form.
Key Events
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Documentary Form Expands — The film continues combining factual encounters with fictionalizing techniques. Characters: Graeme
Location: Interview settings
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Survey Reaches Its Range — Graeme's survey has examined multiple forms of sexual experience. Characters: Graeme
Location: Australia
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Open-Ended Documentary — The film concludes as a fact-fiction portrait shaped by its interviews. Characters: Graeme, Edna Everage
Location: Interview setting